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Far East District Elevates Quality of Life for Service Members Stationed Across South Korea
from America's Engineers: The People, Programs, and Projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers '24-'25
BY RACHEL NAPOLITAN
PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION Far East District
The Land of the Morning Calm has long been a hub of adventure and cultural enrichment for U.S. service members. Now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Far East District (FED) is taking it a step further by enhancing installations with new facilities designed to elevate the standard of living for Department of Defense (DOD) personnel across South Korea.
These projects, aimed at creating a “home away from home” for DOD personnel, span various installations, including U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Humphreys, Camp Walker, and Osan Air Base.
In Pyeongtaek, just south of Seoul, Soldiers at USAG Humphreys now have two new barracks to call home, with seven more under construction. These eight-story buildings feature suite-style living, where every two bedrooms share a kitchenette and bathroom. The facilities include laundry spaces on each floor and outdoor amenities like gazebos, barbecue shelters, and bike racks.
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“Delivering high-quality projects that support our Soldiers and their families enables them to have a home away from home,” said Col. Jeremiah Willis, district commander. “We work alongside installations, engineering counterparts, and Republic of Korea partners to make it happen.”
Beyond the barracks, FED opened three family housing towers in September, completing a series of projects that included 12 towers and represents more than half a billion dollars in new housing investments. The last three towers will provide homes for an additional 216 families. The new housing, designed with U.S.-style floorplans, is part of a broader effort to make Humphreys a state of the art duty station.
“Camp Humphreys is not just a duty station of choice – it is a home,” said Col. Ryan Workman, USAG Humphreys commander.
In addition to housing, a third elementary school broke ground in 2023 and is set to welcome students in a few years. Families can also easily access the library, post exchange, commissary, and recreational facilities, mirroring a modern American town.
Soldiers at other bases are also benefiting from FED’s efforts. At Camp Walker in Daegu, a new housing tower opened in February, accommodating 360 families in modern apartments situated near schools and support services. “This housing tower marks the culmination of a decade-long effort to enhance the quality of life for our service members and their families in Area IV,” said Col. Dave Henning, USAG Daegu commander.
Directly across from the new housing tower, a new Army lodge is preparing to open this winter, designed to ease the transition for families moving to and from the installation. FED’s commitment extends across all branches of the military. At Osan Air Base, a new Child Development Center is being built to accommodate nearly 300 children, set to open in the winter. Farther south, Kunsan Air Base is constructing a 39,000-square-foot dining facility to better serve its personnel.
FED’s commitment extends across all branches of the military. At Camp Mujuk, the Marines have recently opened three new barracks and are anticipating the completion of a dining facility that will serve 500 personnel.
“We are continually improving quality-of-life facilities for service members and their families in support of the alliance,” said Willis. “Future projects will ensure that service members stationed here will continue to live and work in world-class facilities, enabling them to fight tonight.” AE
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